September will still be hot and just like in August, we need to be on the water early to get the snook and tarpon bite. Some of these August mornings, especially those on a rising tide were spectacular though short-lived. There were, and still are, massive schools of mullet along the outside beaches providing fodder for the big snook and tarpon that have taken up residence here until the winter. July, August and September, as always, are peak times, however.

The over abundance of rain that we had earlier, drove the small white bait off-shore. Most of the fish the feed on these schools also followed. It is easy to scoot seven-eight miles offshore and catch small trout by the scores. Inshore, we are not catching many trout, but the ones that we do are 20” and above … these fish are big enough to hang around and eat the mullet! As we creep into September, the bait fish will move back inshore by the acre and once again bring in the mass of predators to the shorelines

In August/September, we leave the dock in time to be in position before the sun comes up … no matter where the snook schools may be! On this early morning, rising tide days, many times the mullet will venture away from the islands and “mat up” over the grass flats. If they do, the tarpon are sure to be nearby. The ‘poons will shower the mullet in all directions when they race the school, but do in a way that herds the mullet away from the shoreline.

Even big tarpon can fill up fast on mullet, so the blitz does not last long. It is intense while it lasts, however. The mullet once hammered by tarpon work towards the mangrove shoreline where the next waves of predators await … snook … in the double digit class.

The snook will come out to meet the mullet as they move in. The snook are in greater numbers than the tarpon, so the surface explosions and bait showers typically are more frequent. However, snook too can fill up, fast, on the big mullet, so the action is fast and furious.

Fishing top-water artificial very early in the mornings, many days, we will get a dozen or more big hits during the daylight blitz. As the sun comes up above the horizon we, typically, to switch soft plastics for the big snook. However, expect to work diligently for the next dozen bites.

When the sun is high and the bite falls off, it is time for something else before it gets too hot. For me, it is tarpon time. Up until late November, the big tarpon can be found hidden in the backcountry. Find them and you can fish them reliably. Whether or not they eat, is totally up to them … but you certainly will get your shots.

My favorite fish are in the 25-60 lb range. The tend to be more “aerial” than their larger brethren. However, I still love to see a big silver dinosaur in the air against the setting sun … I just prefer them to be on your string!!!

Timing can be very important with some of these big tarpon this time of year. There are six to eight days per month that I only book tarpon trips … the fishing is simply too good to pass up … the timing and the fish are “right”. (There are a couple of these days in September still open … and two in October as of this writing.)

I have discovered how to work the video feature on my camera … barely. Recently, in addition to shooting stills, I have been filming some of the actions for my anglers and giving them a (crude!) DVD of their fishing trips … something they can share with the family members and friends who did not make it.

A few of the video clips have made it to the website. You can see the clip of Chris Carter (Ohio) catching his first 100+ pound tarpon, a nice snook taken from a kayak by Fred Woodward of Texas, and what happens to Mike Thompson’s permit.

September also is the beginning of harvest season for snook. Fish less the 26” and over 34” must be release. The weekends will likely have many more people that running the area than in the previous months, so please be patient and respectful of others.

For those of you who are planning to gather a group for a kayak fishing trip, I would encourage you to think about organizing things sooner than later. Available dates are filling fast.

Also, October 4^th – 8^th, we will have the “Yak Attack” in the Lower Keys again for bonefish … there is availability on this trip. The 24^th – 26^th, we will be in Biscayne with the ‘plastic navy” after the really BIG bones there.

Camping season begins in October so we will be scheduling camping/kayak-fishing trips in November/December. Keep and eye-out on the website for the trips to the No-Motor-Zone “above” Lake Ingram and to Wizard Creek. They are usually great trips.